Fishing line submerging device

ABSTRACT

A device for connection to a fishing troll line to force the tail line and its connected flashers and natural bait or artificial lures to a desired depth in water being fished, and including means automatically operated by a fish when striking the bait or lure for setting the fish hook.

United States Patent Dawson 1 June 6,1972

[54] FISHING LINE SUBMERGING DEVICE [72] Inventor: Donald J. Dawson,Route 4, R0. Box 124- A, Salem, Oreg. 97302 [22] Filed: Sept. 17, 1969211 App]. No.: 858,788

[52] US. Cl ..43/43.13 [51 Int. Cl. [58] Field of Search ..43/43. 13,42.39, 42.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS D2l7,644 5/1970 Smith..43/43.l3 X

2,220,302 1 l/ l 940 Thorne 2,235,868 3/1941 Coolidge et al. 2,585,4942/1952 Pelto 3,466,787 9/1969 Collms 43/43 13 Primary ExaminerWamer H.Camp Attorney-Kimmel, Crowell & Weaver [57] ABSTRACT A device forconnection to a fishing troll line to force the tail line and itsconnected flashers and natural bait or artificial lures to a desireddepth in water being fished, and including means automatically operatedby a fish when striking the bait or lure for setting the fish hook.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures P'A'TENTEnJun s 1972 3,667, 148

I I6. I

INVEN TOR.

D. J. DAWSON A TTORAEYS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention This invention relates to troll fishing apparatus and, morespecifically, to a diving plane having an offset weight for causing thefishing bait or lure to descend to a desired depth in the water, and toprovide means slidably mounted on the plane and connected to the fishingline to effect the change of the position of the plane to cause the fishhook to set after having been struck by a fish.

2. Description of the Prior Art Trolling planes are not, per se, new inthe art of fishing. Trolling planes of prior art devices have also beenprovided with trip means for setting a fish hook after the hook has beenstruck by a fish, but such planes and trip mechanisms appear to haveinherent disadvantages which this invention proposes to eliminate. Withrespect to the instant invention, the US. Pat. No. 2,235,868, whichissued to Lloyd E. Coolidge et al., is, perhaps, representative of thestate of the art. As the plane of these patentees has been illustrated,it is apparent that if the trolling plane were connected to spinners,flashers, and natural bait or artificial lures having any appreciabledrag, the plane would readily trip. This would make it necessary for thetroller to reset the plane very frequently. The patentees trolling lineis connected to the plane forward of its center which again would tendto make the plane subject to frequent tripping action.

Another type of trolling plane, together with trip means, is shown inthe United States patent to William T. Thorne, U.S. Pat. No. 2,220,302.This trolling plane, as in the Coolidge et al. device, will readily tripwhen relatively heavy spinners or flashers are connected to the lurecarrying line. A careful study of this patent seems to show that thedevice is not constructed in such a manner as to approach the water atan angle of between 30 and 45, which is essential, and consequently doesnot dive but only drags the water.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is designed to provide adeep diving plane for connection to a trolling line and a tail line towhich a baited hook or artificial lure may be also connected. The planehas been found to operate quite satisfactorily in trolling forrelatively large fish such as, for example, salmon. Recognizing theinherent disadvantages of the prior art planes, as set forth above, thisinvention has been developed to prevent the inadvertent and accidentaltripping of the plane except under those conditions wherein a salmon orother fish actually strikes a baited hook or artificial lure. When thefish strikes, the diving plane is tripped in such a manner that theconnected end of the trolling line moves relative to the plane until itstrikes abutment means which causes the plane to introduce a sharp jerkon the tail line causing the hook carried thereby to firmly set in thefish.

With a submersible diving plane constructed in accordance with thisinvention, the inadvertent and accidental tripping thereof iseliminated, and it is unnecessary for the user to employ heavy leadsinkers or other conventional means to take the bait or lure to thedesired depth tovwhich it should be maintained in order to effectivelyand efiiciently conduct a fishing operation.

The present invention also contemplates a submersible trolling planewhich, if accidentally and/or inadvertently tripped, is so constructedas to enable the fisherman to reset the device without having to reelthe device into the boat.

It should be further noted that the plane according to this invention isnon-complex in construction and assembly, is inexpensive to manufactureand maintain, and which is rugged and durable in use.

Other objects and advantages of the instant invention will become moremanifest from a consideration of the following specification when readin' light of the annexed drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of asubmersible trolling plane constructed according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the plane as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 beingdrawn to a reduced scale;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the plane illustratingthe normal position of the plane and its component elements as atrolling hook is moved through a body of water; and

FIG. 4 illustrates the plane and the relative positions of its componentelements after the plane has been tripped and the fish hook is set.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more specificallyto the drawing, reference numeral 10 designates, in general, a fishingline submersible diving plane or device constructed in accordance withthe teachings of this invention. The device 10 is seen to include anelongated substantially rectangular trolling or guide plane 12 havingopposed fiat parallel and rectangular top and bottom sides l3, 14,respectively, an opposed pair of flat parallel and rectangular sideedges 15, 16, and an opposed pair of flat parallel and rectangulartrailing and leading ends 17, 18, respectively. The plane 12 may beformed of a non-corrosive plastic material in various colors and sizes.

An open substantially U-shaped frame formed of an elongated length of abrass rod or other desirable non-corrosive materials is designated byreference numeral 20. The frame 20 comprises a bight portion 22 from theopposed ends of which laterally project, respectively, a pair ofdiverging but confronting arms 24, 26. The angle formed at the innersection of the bight portion 22 with the arm 24 is acute to provide anabutment loop or shoulder 28 to serve a function to be related below.The angle between the bight portion 22 and the arm 26 is obtuse forminga second abutment loop or shoulder at 30 and serves another function tobe described infra.

As is seen in the drawing, the arm 24 includes a straight portion thatextends rearwardly of the bight 22 above the plane top side 13. Anextension 24a of the straight portion extends rearwardly of the straightportion and upwardly a substantial distance from the axis of thestraight portion and then arcuately downwardly along a bight 24c to joina downward extension 24b that extends toward the plane 12. The bight 24cforms a U-shaped notch 32. The other arm 26 is of a longer axial lengththan the arm 24 and the outer end thereof is laterally bent in thedirection of the arm 24 to form an extension 26a. The arm extensions 24band 26a are threaded at 24d and 26b adjacent their respective free ends.It should here be noted that the arm extensions 24b, 26a are laterallyspaced and are substantially parallel with respect to one another.

The threaded free end 24d of the arm extension 24b passes transverselythrough a suitable opening (not shown) at substantially the center ofthe plane 12 and is clamped thereon by lock nuts 34, 36 whichfrictionally engage against the top and bottom sides 13, 14,respectively. In a like manner, the threaded free end 26b of the armextension 26a extends transversely through an opening (not shown) alsoformed in the plane 12 and is clamped thereon by lock nuts 38, 40 which,as before, frictionally engage the opposed top and bottom sides l3, 14,respectively. As is seen in the several figures of the drawing, the armextension 260 is centered between the edges 15, 16, and is spacedinwardly from the trailing end 17. The plane 12 is also provided with atransversely extending opening 41 centered between the edges 15, 16adjacent the arm extension 24b and is remotely positioned relative tothe arm extension 26a, to serve a function to be described.

The device 10 also includes an ellipsoidal weight 42 which is slidablymounted on the arm 26 and is fixedly secured in an adjusted position bya set screw 44.

In the construction described above, it is to be understood that thearms 24, 26 and their several extensions, as well as the bight portion22, all have their longitudinal axes contained in a plane which includesthe longitudinal axis of the plane 12 and which is perpendicular withrespect thereto. It will be further understood, that the arm 24 isdisposed in vertically spaced relationship relative to the upper side 13of the plane 12', and that the arm 26 is also disposed in verticallyspaced relationship relative to the bottom side 14 of the plane 12. Asis seen in the drawings, the bight portion 22 is spaced forwardly of theleading end 18 to form skid means to which further reference will bemade below.

The device is adapted to be used in deep water trolling for fish whichmay weigh up to 60 pounds or more. To this end, the device 10 isconnected to the free end of a conventional trolling line 50 by means ofthe usual swivel connector means 52. As is seen in the drawing, the ring53 of the swivel connector 52 is tied to the line 50 while the otherring 54 of the swivel-connector 52 is slidably received over the arm 24whereby the same may be engaged in the notch 32 when the plane 12 is inits operative position, or to engage against the abutment shoulder 28after the device 10 has been tripped.

Reference numeral 56 denotes one end of a tail line which extends belowthe trailing edge 17 for engagement against the bottom side 14 of theplane 12, this end of the tail line passing to one side of the armextension 26a and being threaded through the opening 41. This end of thetail line is then looped about the arm extension 24b adjacent thethreaded end 24d and is again threaded through the opening 41 to pass onthe opposite side of the arm extension 260 and beyond the trailing end17 to a point where it is knotted with a non-slip knot as at 60 to thetail line 56. The other end of the tail line 56 connects with theconventional flashers, spinners, lures or a fish hook such as isindicated at 64 which normally would be baited with an appropriate bait.

ln-operation, the device 10 together with the tail line 56 and connectedtackle may be dropped overboard regardless of the position of the ring54 relative to the arm 24. Assuming that the ring 54 has been preset tolodge in the notch 32 and that there is some tension on the trollingline 50, the plane 12 should dive in the water at an angle ofapproximately 30 to 45 carrying the tail line 56 and the tackleconnected thereto downwardly. If the ring 54 is not preset in the notch32 and is at any position along the arm 24, this diving angle will notbe immediately achieved, but this may beaccomplished by feeding out afew feet of the line 50 to permit the plane 12 to assume a diving anglesuch asis illustrated in FIG. 3, whereupon the ring 54 will slide on thearm 24 until the ring 54 is engaged in the notch 32. The setting of theweight 42 on the arm 26 will regulate the diving properties ofthe device10. One of the unique features of this invention resides in itscapability to serve as a deep diving plane when, as the speed of thetroller is increased, the dive becomes deeper taking the tail line andits connected tackle downwardly therewith. This is accomplished withoutthe use of weights as part of the terminal gear. With conventionalplanes using weighted terminal gear, the tail line with its weights andother tackle tends to surface as the speed of the troller is increased.Thus, the use of heavy weights in connection with the terminal gear isobviated.

Assuming that the device 10 and its component parts are in theiroperative positions as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, and assumingfurther that the hook 64 has been struck by a fish, tension will beapplied on the tail line 56 which, by virtue of its connection with thearm extension 24b, will tend to rotate the device 10 in acounterclockwise direction, reference still being made to the last namedfigure.

Simultaneously, the ring 54 will begin to move downwardly on the armextension 240 and its associated arm 24 until the ring 54 strikesagainst the abutment or shoulder 28. At this time the full tensionapplied on line 50 will be transmitted to the frame 20, including itsarm 24b, and by virtue of its connection with the tail line 56, a suddenjerk is applied to the hook 64 to effect the setting of the same. Thisdelayed tripping action of the ring 54 practically eliminates the lossof the fish by amateurs and professionals as well who are prone toprematurely jerk on the line 50before the hook 64 has been well taken.

As a further advantage of this invention, it should be noted that thedelayed tripping of the ring 54 from the notch 32 all but eliminates theundue tripping of the device until some strong force, such as a fishstriking the lure or contact with another object is made, such as whenthe device 10 strikes the bottom. In this case, the skid 22 normallycontacts the bottom and slides thereon and will, during the course ofits movement, cause the device 10 to turn counterclockwise to disengagethe ring 54 from its notch 32.

As has been mentioned above, the device 10 has been designed for deepwater fishing for relatively large fish. Such fish may be found to runfrom approximately 10 to 60 pounds. This device has been found tooperate satisfactorily with a minimum of lost fish because of the factthat the tail line 56 is attached in a direct line through a strongmetallic frame 20 to the trolling line 50.

Having described and illustrated this invention in detail, the same isdefined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A trolling device for submerging a fishing tail line having fish hookmeans connected thereto, said device comprising:

an elongated substantially rectangular solid plane having an opposedpair of top and bottom sides, an opposed pair of leading and trailingedges and an opposed pair of side edges;

a frame bight located forwardly of said leading edge;

a lower arm extending rearwardly of the bight below said bottom side;

means fixedly connecting the end of the lower arm remote from the bightto the plane;

weight means slidably mounted on the lower arm;

means fixedly securing the weight" means in an adjusted position on thelower arm;

an upper ann portion extending rearwardly of the bight above said topside along a prescribed axis;

an extension of said upper arm portion extending rearwardly of saidupper arm portion, upwardly a substantial distance from said axis andthen arcuately downwardly towards said top side to form an arcuate notchadapted to loosely and slidably receive means for connecting the deviceto a trolling line;

' means fixedly connecting the end of said extension remote from saidupper arm portion to the plane; and

means enabling a tail line to be connected to said upper arm.

2. A trolling device as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said means enabling said tail line to be connected to said upper armincludes providing said plane with a transversely extending opening tothreadedly receive one end of said tail line therethrough for connectionwith said upper arm, said one end of said tail line normally extendinglongitudinally of said plane in confronting relation relative to thebottom side thereof.

3. A trolling device as defined in claim 2 wherein:

said lower arm diverges from said bight portion at an obtuse anglerelative thereto and said upper arm projects away therefrom at an acuteangle whereby said bight portion functions as bottom engaging skidmeans.

4. A trolling device as defined in claim 3 wherein:

said upper arm is connected to said plane substantially at itsmid-center, and said lower arm extension is connected'to said planeequidistant between its said side edges and spaced inwardly from itssaid trailing end.

1. A trolling device for submerging a fishing tail line having fish hookmeans connected thereto, said device comprising: an elongatedsubstantially rectangular solid plane having an opposed pair of top andbottom sides, an opposed pair of leading and trailing edges and anopposed pair of side edges; a frame bight located forwardly of saidleading edge; a lower arm extending rearwardly of the bight below saidbottom side; means fixedly connecting the end of the lower arm remotefrom the bight to the plane; weight means slidably mounted on the lowerarm; means fixedly securing the weight means in an adjusted position onthe lower arm; an upper arm portion extending rearwardly of the bightabove said top side along a prescribed axis; an extension of said upperarm portion extending rearwardly of said upper arm portion, upwardly asubstantial distance from said axis and then arcuately downwardlytowards said top side to form an arcuate notch adapted to loosely andslidably receive means for connecting the device to a trolling line;means fixedly connecting the end of said extension remote from saidupper arm portion to the plane; and means enabling a tail line to beconnected to said upper arm.
 2. A trolling device as defined in claim 1wherein: said means enabling said tail line to be connected to saidupper arm includes providing said plane with a transversely Extendingopening to threadedly receive one end of said tail line therethrough forconnection with said upper arm, said one end of said tail line normallyextending longitudinally of said plane in confronting relation relativeto the bottom side thereof.
 3. A trolling device as defined in claim 2wherein: said lower arm diverges from said bight portion at an obtuseangle relative thereto and said upper arm projects away therefrom at anacute angle whereby said bight portion functions as bottom engaging skidmeans.
 4. A trolling device as defined in claim 3 wherein: said upperarm is connected to said plane substantially at its mid-center, and saidlower arm extension is connected to said plane equidistant between itssaid side edges and spaced inwardly from its said trailing end.